Love Me, Don't Leave Me
by b4dw0lfgirl
Summary: 1920's AU where Clara Oswald and Danny Pink attend a party , and dance together as they fall deeper in love.


The shiny black car pulled up to the driveway, the engine making a loud, yet satisfying hum. After a small amount of difficulty, the car door opened and out stepped a relatively short woman with her dark brown hair done in the fashionable wave bob, done in a way that showed off her large curious eyes. She was wearing a knee-length black flapper dress, the kind everyone was wearing, along with high, t-capped high heels to make up for her lack of height.

When the host of the party saw her friend pull up into her driveway, she pulled Clara Oswald into a hug.

"So glad you could make it! This party would've been terrible without you!" Nina said.

"Yeah my dadda didn't want me to go alone. Before I left he told me 'Clara, don't take any wooden nickels," the two girls giggled at the cautiousness of Clara's father, before some friends from the party waved them over.

Clara had gotten there slightly late, so the party had already begun, and most of the guests had arrived already.

She immediately started smiling and waving at her friends, panicking slightly when she didn't see him, even though he promised he'd be here.

Suddenly a familiar, yet not quite so welcome face appeared in front of hers. John tried to engage in conversation with her, and Clara, seeing no clear escape route, had no choice but to follow along.

"Clara! Impossible Girl!" that was his nickname for her, since she pulled him out of grieving, something others had claimed impossible.

"Oh, hi," she smiled politely, and a little impatiently, wanting to get away from this conversation before it even started.

"Did you hear? Einstein..." Clara let him talk on about one of those things he gets way too overexcited about.

John Smith was quite an odd fellow. He wore the right clothes, with a casual suit and his signature bow tie, but he acted like no one Clara had ever met. He was always happy and optimistic and was always childish, even in the most inappropriate of times, like while they were discussing the Great War, but he could sometimes act sad, if you catch him off guard. Apparently when he was a kid his childhood friends, Amy and Rory, had died in an accident. When Clara first met him, in their early teens, he was still getting over their deaths. Clara's support was one of the main things that got him through it, and him and Clara had been best friends ever since. Except soon their feelings for each other grew into more than friends, and they started dating. After a few months, though, John said he needed a break for a few months, and Clara was upset, but eventually got over him. Now, a couple months later he wanted to get back with Clara, while she was clearly not interested.

"That's great, John," Clara said, her politeness getting a little forced at this point, as she interrupted him, wanting him to stop talking about something she would never understand, but she didn't want to hurt his feelings by telling him to pipe down.

"Oh, Clara, there's still a spot open, if you want to come," he was referring a trip he had planned to go to America, but Clara didn't fancy spending two weeks with just John and his mates, but it was hard to disagree him when he had that hopeful glint in his eye.

"I'll think about it, but I don't think my dad will agree," John knew how strict Clara's dad could be.

"Oh, okay," John looked suddenly downcast, and the little smile was wiped from his face. "That's okay."

Clara frantically searched the crowd and found who she was looking for. "I'm sorry John, but I have to go, my friend is waiting..."

"What friend? I probably know them."

"No, trust me, you don't," Clara smiled quickly, then ran off before he could say something else.

Clara weaved through the crowd until she finally caught up to him.

"Clara!"

"Danny!"

"How are you?" Clara asked him as they hugged.

"I'm...okay," he seemed really twitchy and nervous, "And, um, well, how've you been?"

"Fine...I suppose," Clara said awkwardly, not sure how to act around him.

"I'm...I'm glad you made it" he said after a pause.

"Yeah. You too."

"So you're all dolled up. You look really spiffy."

"Thanks. You look nice too," Clara and Danny tried to make casual conversation, while trying to hide the fact that they like each other so much.

"So...how're things at home?" Danny asked after a little while, bringing up the subject Clara absolutely dreaded.

"My dad's still really strict."

"So, he still doesn't like me?" Clara had once introduced Danny to her dad, as a friend, and her father had not reacted well.

"He just...prefers John."

"You mean he loves John and hates me."

"He probably only likes John because he reminds him of himself."

"What? How?"

"Well for one thing they have the same name," Clara began explaining, "and I think when my dad was younger he lost his friends. Some sort of accident he won't discuss. Seems tragic though. My dad's also really into science so it gives him and John plenty to talk about."

"Also doesn't help that I used to be a soldier in the Great War."

"Yeah, he lost his parents to war."

"It's not like I chose to be drafted."

"I know, he can be terrible sometimes."

They listened to the music playing for a few moments before someone put a new record in the gramophone. Clara instantly recognized the song as _Love Me or Leave Me_ by Ruth Etting, her favorite song.

"I love this song!" she told him, a bright smile on her face.

"Shall we dance?" Danny held out his arm for Clara, in the most graceful move he's done yet.

"Can we?" Clara laughed as she took his arm.

_This affair is killing me_

_I can't stand uncertainly_

_Tell me now I've got to know_

_Whether you want me to stay or go_

They began dancing. Irrationally, unconventionally, gracefully, happily dancing. Spinning and swaying to the slow, yet jazzy song. Clara and Danny soon became lost in the music, only aware of each other and the flow of instruments blending with Ruth Etting's voice.

_Love me or leave me or let me be lonely_

_You won't believe me, I love you only_

_I'd rather be lonely then happy with somebody else_

Clara and Danny were so lost in the song that they didn't notice that most of the rest of the party had stopped what they were doing and were watching them, a few with tears in their eyes. John, though, took one long look at Clara and her new boyfriend before he looked at the ground and quietly left the party, knowing that he won't be missed. John tried to hide the hurt in his eyes, but a few tears dropped nonetheless.

Clara didn't even notice.

_You might find the night time the right time for kissing_

_But night time is my time for just reminiscing_

_Regretting instead of forgetting, with somebody else_

Clara and Danny were smiling like idiots and laughing and having the time of their lives, much noticed by the gathering crowd. They both sang the last verses together, off-pitch and a bit off-beat, but smiling wider than ever.

_"There'll be no one unless that someone is you_

_I intend to be independently blue_

_I want your love, but I don't want to borrow_

_To have it today and give back tomorrow_

_For my love is your love_

_There's no love for nobody else"_

Danny and Clara stretched out that last note much longer than it was, and they slowly made eye contact with each other and they understood. Clara Oswald and Danny Pink were in love.


End file.
